Friday, 22 February 2013

“We are only human, and the gods have
fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.” ― George R.R. Martin,
A Game of Thrones

I started reading
this book a few weeks ago (I know: I’m a laggard) and am almost done with Book
One. This fantasy novel amazes me. There isn’t a moment where you
doze off or your thoughts get the better of you. Even when
the author uses a whole paragraph to explain the intricate clothing of a
certain lord or lady, I found myself really imagining what they looked like instead
of skipping to the next page (which I often do simply because I have the
attention span of a goldfish). The shifts in POV are amazing: how George Martin
breathes life into his characters (male and female alike) is beyond brilliant. It
really doesn’t matter how old or fancy or rich or desperate the character is,
this writer portrays them as they are—weaknesses, strengths, fears and hopes all bundled up in one.
You won’t need to figure out whose point of view you’re in….you just won’t
forget once you’re there because he makes you feel as though you’re in their
heads.

The
dedication I witnessed in each line and word and thought left me slightly dizzy…I
mean this guy has got to spend 28 hours a day writing because there is no other
explanation!

“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if
it is to keep its edge.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

And what
did I learn from this book for my personal writing goals?

1. An author
doesn’t need big, fancy words to make his/her point.

2. I couldn’t
put the book down because the author made me CARE about the characters.

3. There is
no need to paint an exact picture of a location for readers—they usually like
to fill in the blanks themselves.

4. Female
and male characters cannot talk in the same voice and should not always be able
to understand each other immediately (as in real life!).

5. Writing
about magic means believing in it but also to leave room for a little bit of skepticism.

6. Characters
with pets are usually more likeable.

So cross
your fingers and let us hope that the sequel to The Scarlet Omen fulfills these
criteria. Sigh… an author’s path to perfection is a never-ending journey of stumbling
over better books and sound advice.

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will
not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself
in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Game of
Thrones

Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Hello
Cinthia!First, I want to thank you for
having me on your blog!Not only is that
awesome, but it is also my birthday this month.(I turn 21 again... I'm getting good at being 21...lol)

I grew up
in Vermont mostly and now live in Virginia with my family (those still at
home).My husband and I have a blended
family of seven kids.My childhood was
spent moving around a lot. (non-military)About five years ago, we started home-schooling our youngest
children.Now there are only two
remaining in home-school.I have tried
to nurture the love of books in our children and now our grandchildren --
always nurturing their imaginations.Recently, I have become active in our community with literacy, starting
a local (and online) creative writing club and volunteer tutoring at the Adult
Learning Center.

Jumping
straight into the fire, I published my first book on 12.12.12 and started my
blogs a few days later.I have learned
that there is a lot more to being a published writer than just writing a
book.If you intend to sell that is.
:-DI struggle with Fibromyalgia and
PTSD.So, have to be careful not to
overdo things... I don't always listen to my own advice.I have a dry, sarcastic and corny sense of
humor and always try to look at things optimistically.(again not always successful)However, I feel that if I don't give up --
for long -- then things will work out for the best eventually.

I have
organized a blog tour for my second release: Secret of the Shielded (Tunuftol
Book 2) to run from Feb 9th (with the cover reveal) through to March 9th (with
the book release).RELEASE
BLOG EVENT:http://www.facebook.com/events/-407335996009826

To go along with my blog tour, I have a special New
Year's New Release Sale for Tunuftol's Fortress of Light (Tunuftol Book
1)The original price for this
85,000+ word book (with bonus features in the back) is $4.99Until my second book is released on 3.9.13
it will be on sale for $2.99 using code: NR47L at
www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnSnizek

Questions:

What
inspired you to become an author?

Books have
always been special and important to me.I learned to read at four and devoured books from then on.Writing followed as usual.I loved my English classes.In Elementary school I had a librarian that
read aloud to us from Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time.It really struck the growing passion in
me.My sister got me hooked on Anne
McCaffrey's books (still my favorite author) and then I discovered other
wonderful authors like Orson Scott Card and David Eddings.There really are too many amazing writers to
name them all. The turning point for me
to publish my work came after the loss of three family members in the same year
(all in only three months).I put all my
passion and grief and hope and love into writing.Then I made a few connections (including some
family members)with people to edit and
improve my writing.They encouraged me
with feedback and told me that I should try to publish.So, that is what I'm doing.

What was
your most memorable childhood memory?

Goodness!I have a lot of childhood memories - good and
bad.I don't know which to pick.I think it is the combination of memories and
emotions that I draw on, not just one specific memory.One happy memory that I will share with you
is making apple strudel, from scratch, with my Baba (grandmother).She was an amazing lady.One of my many projects is working on a book
about her.

What do
you think is the most annoying thing on Earth?

Negativity
and not so much ignorance itself (because no one can know everything and is
thus ignorant about something) but the complacency of ignorance.I know it exists and I fall into negative
times just as anyone else, but people who don't even try to get past these
things annoy me.Even at the worst times
in our lives, there is always someone, somewhere, that has it worse.

Please
tell us a little about your latest release. What were the best and worst parts
for you personally? Are there any novels of yours that are your personal
favorites?

As of this
interview I only have one book released -- Tunuftol's Fortress of Light (Tunuftol
Book 1).I have three books going
through editing and revisions now and several short stories in the works also.

In
Tunuftol's Fortress of Light a young girl, Krissa, and her little brother are
orphans tossed around and lost in the system.When they get placed at Grandma Athey's home everything Krissa thought
she knew changes.Discovering that she
isn't even from this world and not only is magic real, but she is to play a
pivotal role in saving her home world.She is joined by new friends and old friends she had forgotten in her
journey to discover who she really is and what her life is meant to be.Krissa discovers that she has many secrets to
discover -- within herself, her brother, and her friends.The questions keep mounting and the answers
only create more.Will she discover what
she needs to know in time?

The best
part is seeing it completed and getting feedback.I have a thick skin when it comes to my
writing.I love constructive criticism
-- always with the goal to improve myself and my writing.I know that not everyone will like my work,
but if they can tell me what it is that "doesn't work" then I can
improve the next project.

The most
difficult part... I think it is just getting the awareness of my work out
there.I think that my stories have
appeal if only people would read it.But
to read it they have to know it exists...lol

As for my
personal favorites within my own books, Tunuftol's Fortress of Light
(Tunuftol Book 1) has a special place because it is the first book I wrote
and the first I released.However, one
of my upcoming books : To Eris - Human (Payton Chronicles Book 1) is one
that I'm most excited about.I will be
releasing Secret of the Shielded (Tunuftol Book 2) on March 9th, and
then To Eris - Human will be released shortly after... maybe June (fingers
crossed)

In which
tense do you like to write and why? Do you write in first or third person?
Please elaborate.

I have
written in both first and third person, depending on the story, but usually
past tense.I feel that each story has a
life all its own and I am simply the instrument used to commit the story to
words.The tense is easier for me to
relate if it is past tense, but I vary with my point of view because it gives a
different feel.The first person allows
for more connection with the main character while third person allows you to
see more going on.

How
important do you think are the roles of friends and family in a character’s
journey?

VERY
important.In life it is our friends and
family that help shape who we are.Why
would our story characters be any different?If we want them to be believable that is.I think the interactions between a character
and their family, friends, and even enemies help readers connect with the
people in your book.This goes for the
people you want them to like and the people you want them to dislike.

Any
words of wisdom for our readers:

Reading and
writing is a gift to be shared.Not
everyone can be a great writer, but everyone can be a better writer.Find a subject or media that you enjoy and
have fun while you work.Because if you
don't enjoy your writing, how can you ask anyone else to?

Thanks, Ann! That was a great interview. Readers, if you haven't had enough of Ann Snizek yet, below are some sites to get your fill!